I swear
by dandelion weed
Summary: "I don't do this often." "Sure." "…You don't believe me, do you?" Apparently, that passionate solo concert during the training camp was not a one time thing.


It was really late, almost ten in the evening. Tetsuya already called his parents, so they wouldn't be worried. Conveniently, he was the only one in the compartment.

The train made a stop, and Tetsuya watched as a ragged student in gakuran stepped in. It was Takao Kazunari, Shuutoku's point guard, and the only person that had ever given Tetsuya serious trouble throughout his basketball career. The taller teen flopped down ungracefully on the seat opposite of Tetsuya. He didn't seem to notice Tetsuya at all.

As the bullet train started to move again, Tetsuya watched Takao curiously. He had never seen the other outside before. Even during the training camp, they didn't talk that much. Takao looked tired and sleepy. He had a set of headphones on. Tetsuya couldn't pick up the actual song, but the sound was blasting terribly loud to be healthy. He had just about to speak up when Takao suddenly stood up…and started singing loudly.

Tetsuya stared, wide eyed and stunned. Takao had a leg propped on the seats, fists clenched and eyes closed in deep concentration. He vaguely remembered Kagami admitting him and coach had the experience of witnessing Takao singing all by himself passionately during the training camp. Was this a habit of Takao? That needed further investigation.

So, Tetsuya sat quietly and watched Takao still singing. The other was so into his singing he didn't even notice as Tetsuya started tapping his feet along. He knew the song, and Takao had a nice voice, but his pronunciation and tune could do some work. This was not the first time Tetsuya witnessed someone singing when they thought they were alone. There was that incident about Murasakibara stark naked in the shower room that shall not be spoken of ever again.

When the song ended, Takao finished with a loud and fantastic note. Tetsuya felt compelled to clap, but that would come later. For now…

"Hello."

Takao shrieked shrilly and plastered himself to the wall with a horrified face. When he saw Tetsuya, sitting there serenely and smiling faintly, he had the face of someone suffering a cardiac-arrest.

"Oh my God," he said, legitimately horrified.

Tetsuya nodded. He would have been mortified too if someone caught him doing the impression of Philip Sneed in public, especially if it was horrible.

"Oh my God," Takao repeated, words longer and clearly embarrassed. The taller teen buried his burning face into his palm, effectively avoiding the eyes of the sole witness of his mini concert.

"If it makes you feel better, you have a nicer voice than Murasakibara-kun, and you're not actually naked so no harm done." That last was probably still a taboo, but what Murasakibara didn't know wouldn't hurt him.

"Shut up for a minute," Takao said, voice muffled. "Why is it _always_ you Seirin? Last time it was Kagami and your woman coach." A pause. "Wait, did you know–"

"Yes," Tetsuya cut in. Even if hadn't known about that incident with Kagami and the coach, he would still said yes, if only to fluster Takao further. This was the first time he had seen the other so out of control of himself.

"I swear, I don't do this often," Takao said.

"Sure," Tetsuya replied.

"…You don't believe me, do you?"

"Yes."

Takao made a pathetic whimpering sound. He mumbled something that Tetsuya couldn't catch. Finally, he dropped his hands and met Tetsuya's eyes. He was still brightly blushing, his hair disheveled, and Tetsuya thought he looked quite nice like that.

"Would it help if I say I had a stressful day?"

Tetsuya almost snorted then giggled. Thankfully, he had a high self-restraint. "Okay."

"I can't believe this," Takao said, back to burying his face into his palms in mortification. Tetsuya honestly didn't know why he was so embarrassed. It's not like Tetsuya was a stranger to him. And it's not like Tetsuya was a stranger _to_ the sight of tough, muscly basketball player singing like they were born for it. In fact, he had seen it far too often. Kise, most of all. Though the blond probably couldn't count since he would sing every chance he got. Alone or not.

Feeling slightly vindictive, Tetsuya asked, "Do you have any plans to go professional?"

Takao groaned loudly, his headphone slipped and Tetsuya could see his blush had reached his ears. They were bright red and Tetsuya almost wanted to reach over and feel if they were as hot as they looked.

"Of all people, it just had to be you," Takao bemoaned.

Now offended, Tetsuya crossed his arms, "Sorry it had to be me."

Takao looked up, eyes blinking. "What? Oh no, no. I don't mean that in a bad way. It's just…you're someone I look up to and you just saw me singing like a deranged six years old girl."

Tetsuya raised his eyebrow a bit. That was news to him. Also, "You just insulted every six years old who has the dream to be a singer."

Then, Takao's eyes cleared, his eyebrows furrowed together and Tetsuya couldn't help but feel something was coming– "Does this mean I get to ask you out for dinner if you promise to not tell anyone?"

Well, Tetsuya couldn't see the harm there. Even if it was late. And he was hungry. And it's _free_. "If you're paying."

Takao's eyes widened, his jaw fell open, and he was looking at Tetsuya like Tetsuya had just given him the Winter Cup trophy in a hand basket.

"Really?"

"Really," Tetsuya nodded. Also, why was he feeling he just agreed to something he probably shouldn't have?

_Later on~_

"What do you mean you went on a date with Takao Kazunari?" Kagami asked, alarmed. He closed his locker door with a _bang!_ and consequently attracting the others' attention.

Tetsuya sighed and fixed his buttons diligently to avoid eye contact with his best friend. "I'm not exactly sure how it happened. All I remembered was I somehow got a blackmail material on him and he said he'd treat me to dinner if I keep quiet about it. I was pretty sure it wasn't a date, but Takao-kun walked me home and then we somehow exchanged numbers and email addresses and he kissed me on the cheek."

"That sounded like a date," Izuki nosily butted in.

"Or he could be trying to gain information," Hyuuga said suspiciously.

Tetsuya looked at his captain with absolute blankness. Why was he captain again? Oh, right. Tetsuya glanced at Kiyoshi's way. The alternative was worse.

"Maybe he planned it all along to get Kuroko agree for a date with him," Kiyoshi said thoughtfully.

Tetsuya remembered Takao's absolutely mortified face and shook his head.

Then, Riko's voice from outside shook the room.

"OR HE COULD BE SUCH AN IDIOT TO SING BECAUSE HE THOUGHT HE WAS ALONE AND HE'D HAD CRUSH ON KUROKO SINCE MIDDLE SCHOOL!"

* * *

End.

**A/N**: Oh Kuroko you clueless little shit. Also, I found the missing emails in the spam box. What the actual fuck? Thanks to people who helped me out! You guys are the best! Takao's song is On Top Of the World by Greek Fire. Absolute fave. And it fits Takao's style.

* * *

黒子のバスケ © Fujimaki Tadatoshi


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